


Ichigo came in like a wrecking ball — man, I dunno, ask me in the morning.

by CheshireCaine



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, M/M, Time Travel Fix-It, also tags will change, borderline sociopath shinji is where i accidentally went with this, just an excuse for fluff, no betas we die like men, plot in the background lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 13:51:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15708531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheshireCaine/pseuds/CheshireCaine
Summary: Shinji didn’t understand his fukutaichо̄’s weird fascination with the new recruit. Itirritatedhim.In which Shinji didn't ask for this.





	Ichigo came in like a wrecking ball — man, I dunno, ask me in the morning.

Shinji didn’t understand his fukutaichо̄’s weird fascination with the new recruit. It _irritated_ him.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t so long ago that he’d first joined up but Shinji’s last expectation was for the scowling Shiba bastard to have taken to Squad Five so easily. The man had been all frowns upon their introduction, only softening to bid a farewell to his clan leader cousin as he essentially dropped him off at the barracks like the adoring mother of a new academy student. (Even when Shinji had been wet behind the ears and new to the ways of the shinigami, he’d found their open affection _nauseating_ ).

Shinji had wanted to get a feel for his newly recommended subordinate. Taichо̄ and fukutaichо̄ were meant to be partners—the fukutaichо̄ intuitively knowing what the taichо̄ needed without a word spoken between them—or so the Soutaichо̄ always claimed. (Shinji didn’t think it was fair to any of the captains to hold up Chо̄jirо̄ as an exemplar for them. The man was far too competent). So, what better time than the present to test his new fukutaichо̄’s willingness to commit himself to his duties. To the squad and to Shinji himself.

He almost laughed aloud. If not for the taste of his sake climbing up his throat. He managed to gear his reaction into a sickly smile instead.

Shiba-san looked wary and a little concerned even.

But Shinji let his smile flatten and drew any emotion away from his face, choosing to simply drag his eyes down the man; unimpressed. He settled his gaze on the man’s face, flat-out staring at him.

Shinji could practically taste the restrained emotion behind that frozen face and waited for fear to feed into it.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance properly, Hirako-taichо̄.” He’d swept into a deep bow, bags dropped to his sides as he introduced himself for a second time that day.

Shinji let his mouth stretch into a smile again. “Likewise, Shiba-san.”

Ichigo straightened his spine, then picked up his bags. “That’s Shiba-fukutaichо̄ now, taichо̄. I can enter through here, correct?”

Shinji blinked. Before he knew it, the man was already sweeping past him.

Shinji followed him to his new quarters and watched as he promptly dropped his possessions in the middle of the floor—Kaien-fukutaichо̄ had strongly suggested he’d carry over the rest himself later (as though Shinji wanted to deal with disapproving family members, and somehow the man who’d been one of his cousin’s references still felt the need to face Shinji with that same motherly killing intent).

He’d been bored recently, maybe needling Jūshirо̄’s fukutaichо̄ would provide some entertainment, except getting himself on the taichо̄’s shitlist was probably a bad idea.

“Thank you. That’ll be enough for today, taichо̄.” Shiba-san was right in his face, herding Shinji backward. “I’ll report tomorrow morning after some unpacking.”

The door slid shut in front of Shinji’s face. Had he just been shut out?

Refusing to accept this version of reality, Shinji instead stumbled back to his room, seeking out some sake. The other captains hadn’t left him much of a choice other than to accept Shiba Ichigo as his fukutaichо̄—the least the man could’ve done was let Shinji suitably terrorise him.

Shinji gave his mind room to wander over some jazz, sitting overlooking the garden behind his room. He sipped at his drink occasionally, letting the sake warm his stomach as the atmosphere smoothed the tension from his shoulders. He didn’t pay much attention to the night slipping away, only refilling the cup a couple times before he headed for bed.

Shinji stared up at the ceiling, drawing a short line in the air with his finger before he began to drift off.

Hirako Shinji—0. Shiba Ichigo—1.


End file.
